Operation Pillar of Defense - Statements by PM Netanyahu

15 Nov 2012Israel has made it clear
that it will not tolerate rocket and missile attacks on its
civilians. I hope that the terror organizations in Gaza got
the message. If not, Israel is prepared to take whatever
action is necessary to defend our people

(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media
Advisor)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon
(Thursday, 15 November 2012), issued the following statement
to the foreign press:

I want to remind you that, seven years ago, Israel
withdrew from every square inch of Gaza. Now, Hamas took
over the areas we vacated. What did it do? Rather than build
a better future for the residents of Gaza, the Hamas
leadership, backed by Iran, turned Gaza into a terrorist
stronghold. They fired thousand of rockets at our cities, at
our towns, at our civilians, at our children. They’ve
smuggled thousands of rockets and missiles into Gaza, and
they deliberately place these rockets and missiles in
civilian areas: in homes, in schools, near hospitals. This
year alone, they fired over one thousand rockets and
missiles at Israel, including close to 200 rockets in the
last 24 hours.

I’m stressing this because it’s
important to understand one simple point. There is no moral
symmetry; there is no moral equivalence, between Israel and
the terrorist organizations in Gaza. The terrorists are
committing a double war crime. They fire at Israeli
civilians, and they hide behind Palestinian civilians. And,
by contrast, Israel takes every measure to avoid civilian
casualties. I saw today a picture of a bleeding Israeli
baby. This picture says it all: Hamas deliberately targets
our children, and they deliberately place their rockets next
to their children. Despite this reality – and it’s a
very difficult reality – Israel will continue to do
everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties.

I
have to say that from my talks with world leaders, I have
the clear understanding that they have a clear understanding
of this. Yesterday I spoke to President Obama and I briefed
him on Israel’s operations. I want to express my
appreciation once again to President Obama for his
unequivocal support for Israel’s right to defend itself. I
also want to express my appreciation to the other world
leaders I’ve had a chance to speak to in the last 24
hours: to President Hollande of France, to UN Secretary Ban
Ki-Moon, to EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton and to
Quartet representative Tony Blair. I want to thank them for
their understanding of Israel’s need to defend itself, and
Israel’s right to defend itself.

In the past 24 hours
Israel has made it clear that it will not tolerate rocket
and missile attacks on its civilians. I hope that Hamas and
the other terror organizations in Gaza got the message. If
not, Israel is prepared to take whatever action is necessary
to defend our people."

--

Operation Pillar of
Defense - Statement by PM Netanyahu

14 Nov
2012Today, we hit Hamas strategic targets precisely. We
have significantly debilitated their ability to launch
rockets from Gaza to the center of Israel, and we are now
working to disable their ability to launch rockets towards
the south.

(Communicated by the Prime
Minister's Media Adviser)

Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu today (Wednesday, 14 November 2012), made the
following statement:

"Citizens of Israel,

I want to
praise the IDF soldiers and commanders, led by Chief of
Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz , who is commanding
the operation as we speak. I want to note the Israel
Security Agency, headed by Director Yoram Cohen, for their
vital part in the operational accomplishments that we have
already achieved. I thank the citizens of Israel for their
unwavering support of this operation. I thank the residents
of southern Israel who are at the front, and exhibit
strength and restraint.

Hamas and the terror organizations
decided to escalate their attacks on the citizens of Israel
over the last few days. We will not accept a situation in
which Israeli citizens are threatened by the terror of
rockets. No country would accept this, Israel will not
accept it.

Today, we hit Hamas strategic targets
precisely. We have significantly debilitated their ability
to launch rockets from Gaza to the center of Israel, and we
are now working to disable their ability to launch rockets
towards the south. The terrorist organizations - Hamas,
Islamic Jihad and others - are deliberately harming our
citizens, while intentionally hiding behind their citizens.
On the other hand, we avoid harming civilians as much as
possible and that is one fundamental difference between us.
It also indicates the big difference between our objectives,
and not only in our methods. They want to obliterate us from
the face of the earth and they have no qualms about hurting
civilians and innocents.

Today, we sent an unequivocal
message to Hamas and the other terror organizations, and if
need be the IDF is prepared to expand the operation. We will
continue to do everything necessary to defend our
citizens."

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